Samsung package allows 4 chips for handsets

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. on Monday announced full production of a four-chip
multichip package (MCP) for mobile handsets.

The new MCP can stack four memory chips -- SDRAM, SRAM, UtRAM, and NAND/NOR flash -- in the package space usually containing only one chip. Samsung said this
reduces the memory chip footprint by 50% for handsets. The MCP is 1.4mm in
height.

Two MCP configurations are offered. One combination has two 64Mbit NOR memory
chips, a 128Mbit NAND flash, and a 64Mb UtRAM. Also available is a combination
of 128Mbit NAND, 32Mbit and 64Mbit UtRAM and an 8Mbit SRAM.

Samsung also introduced an integrated design software system to help handset
developers to cut time in designing MCP, system in package (SIP) and system on a
chip products. The new software allows simultaneous design of semiconductor
circuits and packages, the company said.